Clams should be purchased fresh and kept on ice in salt water tanks. The clams should be tightly closed and have no cracks in them. This ensures that they are alive and that the integrity of the shells is intact. They should smell nice and not strong. Clams should be used the day they are purchased or covered with ice. Clams come in different sizes and each size has a name. The smallest is littleneck, then comes cherrystone, and the largest being chowder or large clams. The larger they come the tougher they are, so it is recommended to purchase the littleneck clams.
